Tuesday, October 9, 2007

A Remembrance Requiem


This week marks the last time Dadoo was in Houston. It was 5 years and 3 days ago. It was a significant time in my life and I'm so very glad he was there. I was conducting my Masters Rectial of Faure's Requiem. For the most part, Dadoo didn't go to my concerts growing up. Looking at it in retrospect, I guess I am like him. I would rather be performing than listening. Mom has told me that sitting through church choir rehearsals used to drive him batty. Like father, like daughter. Concerts that he did go to, he would sit in the audience and sing or hum along--usually the bass part, of course.


For some reason, I am drawn to Requiems. They are the major works that I like best--Mozart, Durufle, Verdi, Webber. But, Faure's in terms of text hits home the best. Most requiems emphasize the judgement day, fire and brimstone, the bottomless lake and the pleading with God, "you promised Abraham!" (See Mozart and Verdi's Dies irae, Mozart's Offertorium, Webber's Lacrimosa , Durufle's Libera me) But, like Brahm's German Requiem, Faure's view was more peaceful. He used the In Paradisum (from the Burial Service) which speaks of angels welcoming you into paradise and reminds us of the conversation of Martha and Jesus in John 11:25. Faure seemed to be at peace with his soul and his relationship with his heavenly Father.


I, too, am at peace with my relationship with God and why he took my earthly father. I may not know why or have the answers, but He does and that is what matters. All I know is that Dadoo is in heaven and if he isn't singing with the angels, he is at least humming the bass part!


P.S.--Ironically, it is surmised that Faure's own father's death may have lead to the composition of this work.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Visitors from East Texas


This weekend we have had the pleasure of having Memaw and aunt DD visiting with us. It's been a great weekend full of hugs, baby holding and laughter. Today our outing was to drop off dresses downtown for Cantare, the small professional group I normally sing with. Luckily for us, Barry Barios was there and DD got to visit with him (He was DD's old choir director in Katy). Barry and one of my singing buddies, Casey, joined us afterward at Chick-Fil-A. That was Cavett's special "going place" treat for behaving so well while Cantare finished rehearsing and I distrubted dresses.


(For those of you not in the Dent family, the "going place" is just that--a place to go. It's not always the same place. As kids, Dadoo would tell us to pile in the car. We would ask where we were going and he would answer, "the going place"! We knew this sometimes meant some place we would really love, but it also meant sometimes going to the train store-his favorite place. Whatever the destination was it was fun to try and guess where we were going along the way.)


This evenings activites entailed: DD taking Cavett on a walk to the "little" park down the street, everyone convincing Cavett that he CAN eat his dinner (a 45 minute ordeal with an ice cream bribe!), and during Kendrick's bath realizing that he and I both got our "bootie" shape from Memaw! That was a good laugh! I guess you had to be there.


We love you DD and Memaw and we are so glad you came to visit!